Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. M. ROBINSON. GAB COUPLING.

Patented Feb. 4', 1896.

m WITNESSES: a INVENTOR WW a ml flfloz'iwom er ANDREW EGRMMM. FHOTO-LITMQWASHINGTOMDL.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' W. M. ROBINSON.

GAR COUPLING.

ATTOENEYJ- Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

III.

NITED STATES IVILLIAM M. ROBINSON, OF DILLINER, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHN E. MINOR, OF MAPLETOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,201, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed October 1 '7, 1 39 5 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. ROBINSON, residing at Dilliner, in the county of Greene and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Oar-Oouplcr, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to carcouplers and particularly to that class thereof known as automatic couplers, the object being to provide a coupler which can be coupled or uncoupled without the operator standing between the cars.

Another object of my invention is to provide a coupler which can be used in connectin g cars of different heights, and a still further object is to provide a coupler which shall be particularly adapted for rounding curves, and my coupler is also of such con struction that two cars can be coupled while on a curve of short or long radius.

A further object is to construct a coupler which can be manipulated from the side of car, to guide and direct the coupling-pin in a definite direction, and another object is to provide a coupler which shall be quick, positive and safe in action.

With these objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear my invention consists in the several details of construction and novelties of combination or arrangement, all of which will be fully set forth in the description and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a View showing my improved coupler in operative position upon a car. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a front view, and Fig. 4 a section on the line f at, Fig. 2, horizontal top. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the catch-block hereinafter referred to. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the combined coupling-pin and link-lifter and the operating-lever therefor. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the slide or look bolt hereinafter referred to. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of coupling-link hereinafter referred to.

In carrying out my invention I employ a draw-head A of peculiar and novel construction, said draw-head having a vertical cylindrical-shaped forward chamber, a, and the horizontal rear chamber, a, the coupling de- Serial No. 565,983. (No model.)

vices being arranged in the forward chamber, while the mechanism for actuating the same are located principally in the rear chamber.

The mouth of the draw-head a leads into the chamber a, and at the top of said chamber is open, as shown at a while in the bottom is produced an openinga through which passes the spindle b of the rotary catch-block B, which at its bottom is shaped to fit the recessed bottom of chamber a, said catch being adapted to turn freely within the chamber.

The rear side of the catch-block is cut away and formed with dovetail guideways b, and extending entirely through the block is a T- shaped opening 11 the head of which is larger than the leg, as clearly shown, and extending upward from the top of said opening is a second dovetail guideway 11 The rear edges of the opening 12 are straight, as shown in Fig. 5, while the forward side and lower edges are cut away, as shown at 11 Fig.

5, so that when the catch is turned straight the flare of the sides 19 will correspond with the flare of the mouth of draw-head and. thus 7 5 form a guide for the head 0 of the coupling link 0, said head being T-shaped in crosssection, (see Fig. 8,) and is rounded at each end and at the bottom so that when said head is projected into the draw-head it will ride up the inclines of the mouth and catcher, enter the T- shaped opening 5 and pass therethrough, the body of the link resting on the leg of the opening While the head rests behind the shoulders 6 and the point 0 of said head rests in a recess 1) formed below the slot or opening. Thus it will be understood that the catch rotates within the draw-head, and that when the head of a link is projected into a draw-head it will be secured, as before de- 0 scribed, by passing through the opening b and dropping behind the shoulders 71 Now in order to hold the link in this position I employ a combined coupling-pin and link-lifter D, comprising a flat circular top cl, the upper 5 section d, the legs (1 and the coupling-pin and plunger (1 The legs and upper section are formed with dovetail grooves 01 which fit the dovetail guideways b", and when the catch-block and coupling device are connected with each other in this manner the combined devices present the appearance of a cylindrical body, but the space between the legs corresponds in size with the head of opening I), so that the head of a coupling-pin can pass therethrough.

The coupling-pin or plunger (1 engages the top of the link-head and holds the same down behind the shoulders b and the legs d formed upon the legs 61 prevent said link-head falling too far, and they also serve to. lift said link-head when it is desired to uncouple the link. The coupling-pin or plunger is dovetail in shape and slid es in the second dovetail guideway, b

The cap-piece (Z is pivoted to the body portion, so that the catch and pin may turn together without affecting the cap d, which is connected by a bail 6 with the forward end of lever E, fulcrumed upon a vertical bracketarm 0' mounted upon the top of the draw head, so that when said lever is raised and lowered the combined coupling-pin and linklifter will be slid up or down in the rotary catch-block to either couple or uncouple the link, and in order to operate this lever I employ a handle F, which is fitted into a socket e in the lever E and extends up through the platform or sill of the car, and it can be held in either position by means of a sliding lockbolt F, which is attached to the top of the platform or sill, (see Fig. 1,) and has a finger or hook member (see Fig. 7) adapted to catch over the lever F when swung rearward to hold the lever E to the portion shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The link, draw-head,catch-block, and coupling-pin are all so shaped and combined that whenthe head of the link is forced with the draw-head it forces the coupling-pin upward and passes through the opening 6 and between the legs of the coupling device, and when it does this the body of the link drops into the slot of opening 19 and the weight of the coupling device causes it to descend and lock the pin coupled behind the shoulders b The catch-block being capable of rotation, the link can be turned in any direction by operating a handle G attached to the spindle b of the block below the draw-head, so that it will be seen that my coupler can be operated upon curves aswell as upon a straight track. The catch-block being rotary also permits the turning of sharp curves without wear and tear upon the draw-head.

The rear chamber of the draw-head communicates with the forward chamber at the rear side and contains a spring-actuated piston II, the head of said piston being shaped to 0011- tact with the head of the link when the same is forced inward. The rear end of this piston has one or more stout springs connected therewith, said springs being located in a passage h and serve to project said piston forward the moment the pin is released.

The rear chamber is open at the top and formed with guideways, and sliding in said guideways is a slide -block K, rigidly connected to and forming a part of the piston II, said block carrying a keeper 7a, which is adapted to engage a nose It upon the rear end of the lever E, so that when the lever E is raised to lift and uncouple the pin the piston will be forced forward by its spring and with it the keeper 7a, which engages the nose on lever and locks said lever in this position, and the coupling devices open ready for coupling.

The rear face of the body portion d of the coupling device is formed with a series of serrations 7L, and the forward end of the slideblock K carries a series of teeth L, which engage the serrations or cogs 7t and hold the catch-block and coupling device in a fixed position, and it will be noted that these serrations or cogs are so placed that they can only be engaged when the coupling devices are raised, and it is at this time only that the teeth L are projected forward to engage said teeth.

The operation of my device briefly stated is as follows: The rotary catch block, together with the coupling devices, is adjusted to receive a link coming in any direction. The handle is then operated to raise the coupling devices and at the same time the piston moves forward, throws the keeper over the nose and forces the teeth into engagement with the serration. The coupler is now ready for coupling, and as a pin enters the drawhead and passes through the forward chamber it engages the end of piston, pushes the same back, releases the keeper from the nose and the coupling device drops of its own weight, locking the pin. WVhen it is desired to uncouple, the handle is again opened, which raises the coupling devices and the legs lift the head of the link opposite the opening Z9 when the pin ejects said link.

When a link is held in one coupler, it is firmly held in a horizontal position by the weight of the plunger and the force of the piston, thus preventing said link falling or dropping too low, and it will be noticed that the plunger, piston, and lever are all so arranged that the very instant the piston is forced back the plunger will be released, and after said plunger has been released the piston will return again and press upon the head of link, and thus aid the plunger in holding said link horizontal.

Instead of forming the link 0 as shown in in Fig. 2that is, with both ends terminating in similar catch or head portion-it may be constructed, as shown in Fig. 8, with one end terminating in a round head or enlargement formed on the end of a reduced shank portion, such end portion being adapted to enter and engage the catch-lock B.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a coupler, the combination with a draw-head, of a rotary catch-block and the vertically-movable coupling and uncoupling devices substantially as shown and described.

IIO

shown and described.

4. In a car-coupler the combination with a draw-head of a rotary catch-block, the sliding coupling device, the spring-actuated piston and connecting devices between said coupling device and said piston substantially as shown and described.

5. In a car-coupler the combination with a draw-head having front and rear chambers, of the rotary catch-block and sliding coupler and uncoupler, the spring-piston, the slideblock and keeper and the uncoupling-lever, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

6. In a car-coupler the combination with the draw-head rotary catch and sliding coupling device provided with serrations, of the operating-lever,having a nose,the spring-actuated piston, carrying a slide-block provided with a keeper and cog-teeth all arranged substantially as shown and described.

7. In a car-coupler the combination with a draw-head of the rotary catch-block, having a T-shaped opening with fiarin g edges and provided with dovetail guideways upon its rear side, the sliding coupling device comprising the body, leg, and lug, said leg and body portions having dovetail grooves the dovetailshaped pin or plunger, the cap-piece and un coupling-lever all arranged substantially as shown and described.

8. In a car-coupler the combination with a draw-head having a front and rear chamber of a rotary catch-block having a spindle provided with a handle, the sliding coupling device provided with lugs for lifting the link, the cap pivoted to coupling device, the bail attached to cap-piece,the lever connected with bail and provided with a handle and nose, the spring-actuated piston carrying a slide-block having a keeper and cog-teeth, the cog-teeth on the coupling device and the locking-bolt for holding the lever-handle substantially as shown and described.

WILLIAM M. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

J AS. A. BLAcK, E. R. KRAMER. 

